Photo SpecialTV Stars Before They Were Famous

Before they hit the big time on the small screen, celebs such as Ashton Kutcher were students, salespeople and, yes, even child actors. Find out what their lives were like before hitting it big. By Serena Kappes

GIRL, DETERMINED

Growing up, American Idol judge Paula Abdul's parents couldn't afford her ballet lessons. So a persevering Abdul (left, in her 1980 senior year high school photo) paid for them "by cleaning up in the classrooms (at school)," she told PEOPLE in May. They certainly paid off for the future Laker Girl and pop singer (right, in Miami Beach in June).